James Van Der Beek has an acronym that he uses to help calm his crying baby, and it is adorable. Celebrities really are just humans like the rest of us, and this means that they deal with things that can be struggling and hard, and this means being a parent. Newborns are adorable, but they can cry a lot, and with 6 children, James Van Der Beek is no stranger to crying babies. James and his wife recently welcomed their 6th baby, and they are in the throes of those first few weeks and months that can bring a lot of tears.
According to Today, James has shared an acronym that helps him remember what to do when he needs to calm down a crying baby. He shared this on his Instagram page, and it may help a lot of other parents out there who can find themselves getting frustrated.
The acronym is “CALLLM,” that is right, there are three L’s in the word. He goes on to explain what each letter stands for. He stated that the “C” is for ‘connection,’ and it means that mom (or dad) needs to recognize that this is the perfect opportunity to connect with their baby.
The “A” is for ‘acceptance,’ and he stated that a person can bring themselves a lot of peace by accepting what is happening rather than trying and changing it. The three “L’s” are for ‘love, listen and list.’ That mom and dad need to gather up all the love they have for their baby, and this could be thinking back to ultrasound pictures and the moment they first saw their baby. The listen means that mom and dad need to really listen to what their baby is trying to tell them, and then the list is going through a mental checklist of everything that could be wrong with the baby. Are they hungry, wet, tired?
The “M” stands for ‘magic,’ and James says that every parent has something that they can offer to their child. Whether that be singing a song, rocking them, or stroking their head. There is always something that mom and dad can do; they just have to be patient enough to realize it. This acronym may help a lot of parents out there because it can be frustrating to try and comfort your baby who is crying, especially when it feels like nothing is working. The next time your baby is crying, just remain CALLLM.
Sources: Today, Instagram via @vanderjames